The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-06-08
The Hero and the Hen.

over the country there were oatt'eS
and sieges and many cruel things be-
ing done, and a great many good peo,
ple lost their lives. No one knows al
the misery it caused, for often a family
would be divided, part being Catholic
who believed in the pope, and a por'
ton Protestant, who did not believe III
the pope at all.
After while hostilities ceased, ano
q hollow peace was patched up be-
tween the contending parties. Hol
low enough and false it was, indeed
on one side. The Huguenots, as the
Protestants were called for many years
now numbered some of the braves1
and noblest men in France among
their chiefs. Two or three of the roy
al family were inclined to their prin'
ciples, but their most devoted adher
ent was the grand admiral, Gaspard de
Coligni. He was now about sixty
years old, a grey-headed, grave, benev
olent nobleman, who, you woulo
think, could have had no enemies
But a good man is always hated by the
evil-disposed, and the pious Colignl
who, at one time had saved France in
a great battle, had two bitter and dead
]y enemies. One of these was the
duke of Guise, reckless young no.
bleman of twenty-five; the other was
the queen mother, Catherine de Medi.
ci, q selfish and ambitious Woman OF
fifty-fve. These two persons, with
several other Catholic leaders, devised
a horrible plot, by which they hoped
to get rid of Coligni and, at the same
time, strengthen Catholicism. This
was nothing less than to organize 8
band of soldiery, and at stated time
when everybody was unsuspicious and
asleep, let them loose upon the popu'
lace with orders to slaughter all the
Huguenots they found.
Everything was favorable for carry
ing this horrible scheme into eXecu-
ton, and one summer night. August
25, 1872, the massacre of st. BartholO.
NEW began. It was fearful, fearful
time. Men, women and little child
rem were butchered; nobody was spar
ed unless he was q Catholic and wore
q cross on his hat or arm. Almost the
first person killed was Coligni. He
had been shot at and wounded two
days before by some one who evident
w meant to kill kim. and the admiral
was i'll with sort of fever consequent
from the wound. When the first
alarm was heard, his chaplain, NJ.
Merlin, was with him reading the
scriptures. A number of persons
rushed into the chamber, announcing
that the courtyard was full of soldiery.
"Say me prayer. NJ. Merlin," said
Coligni. II commit my soul to the
Savior"
In few moments the mob was
heard coming up the stairway.
"Save yourselves, my friends ~
cried the aged admiral. "You will
have time. AS for me, they can only
shorten my life few days"
The good clergyman and the others
ran upstairs and got out of the house
through the tiling of the roof. Each
fed q different way. Merlin, with his
Bible under his arm, clambered over
the roofs of the houses, in a direction
from the Loubre. In attempting to
Jump from one to another in the dark
ness, his foot slipped, and he fell sew
eral feet, lodging in hayloft.
He was not hurt by the fall, and
when he saw where he was, concluded
that it was fortunate accident, and
was thankful at having stumbled
upon this place of safety. No one
would ever think of looking for him
there the Lord had guided his foot
steps. But it was long while before
he ceased to tremble; on every side he
could hear the cries of the brutal SOL
diers: "Kill, kill the Huguenots ?"
and everywhere were the screams and
and groans of the murdered and dying
Protestants. 1t made his blood run
cold to think of the wicked work that
was being done. M. Merlin had kept
his Bible with him as he fled, and, as
he lay there in the hayloft, we can i'm
agine him turning over the pages and
comforting himself with the precious
promises in the sacred word. The
hours passed slowly, and he began to
grow hungry, but did not dare to leave
his retreat for fear of discovery, which,
of course meant death. Starvation
stared him in the face if he remained
there; however, he preferred to trust
to Gods mercy rather than mans:
As he lay there, exhausted and al
rustling upon the hay like that of some
object stepping carefully over the loft.
Had his enemies tracked him thither,
and were they coming to capture him ?
He glanced fearfully out from beneath
the hay with which he had covered
himself. He felt greatly relieved to
see only hen that was evidently
hunting for nest. Soon everything
was quiet again. The secretive fowl
retired after q while stealthily as ii
had appeared, not even making a
cackle, much to the fugitive's relief.
"Surely," thought M. Merlin, 1.-THE
Lord is feeding me, for he hath sent
his fowls to provide for his servant"
And he crawled very carefully out of
the hay and crept to the nest, which
was near by. In it were three shining
white eggs. He broke the shells OF
two and ate them, leaving one for q
nest egg, hoping that Biddy would
come again.
And Biddy did come the next day,
sure enough, and laid another egg,
much to Merlin's great joy and need,
for he was very hungry. Three days
he remained concealed in the hay-loft,
and each day his friendly visitor laid
an egg for his dinuer. This was all
the food he had. but it saved him from
starvation. On the night of the third
day he managed to get safely away
and found sure haven in the house OF
a friend. He lived many years after
this, but do not think he ever forgot
how hen once was the messenger OF
heaven to bring comfort and relief in
time of great tribulation.